Project description
A deep dive into the turbidity currents along the eastern Sicilian margin
The Messina Strait is a narrow strip of water between the island of Sicily and mainland Italy. It is known for currents so strong it can rip seaweed from the ocean floor. The Ionian Basin offshore eastern Sicily is an ideal location for the study of submarine sediment gravity flows. After all, the Messina earthquake in 1908 triggered an extensive turbidity current. The EU-funded MARGRAF project will reconstruct the behaviour and evolution of the 1908 turbidity current. It will also evaluate the role of the 1908 turbidity current in the tsunami following the earthquake and test the effectiveness of using a submarine telecommunication cable to detect modern gravity flows.
Objective
Submarine sediment gravity flows are some of the most important sediment transport processes globally. They pose a hazard to offshore infrastructure and may contribute to tsunami generation. The behaviour of these sediment flows, however, is still not fully understood. The Ionian Basin offshore eastern Sicily is characterised by high seismicity, tsunamis and gravity flows. The 1908 Messina earthquake, which caused >60,000 casualties, triggered an extensive turbidity current. The geohazard implication of gravity flows is poorly constrained for this densely populated and economically important region. The objectives of MARGRAF are to: 1) reconstruct the behaviour and evolution of the 1908 turbidity current; 2)evaluate the role of this turbidity current in the 1908 Messina tsunami; 3) test the effectiveness of using a submarine telecommunication cable to detect modern gravity flows; and 4) determine present-day probability of new turbidity currents being generated along the eastern Sicilian margin. Addressing these objectives will help to understand key processes involved in submarine gravity flows. The objectives will be fulfilled via a multidisciplinary and multi-scale analysis comprising geophysical and sedimentological data interpretation, numerical modelling, and laser interferometry. The researcher’s expertise in analysing submarine sediment failures will be crucial to implement the project’s objectives. Results will be disseminated to target audiences via different measures (e.g. newspapers). MARGRAF will be carried out at the Department of Geosciences of the University of Malta. Secondments in France and in Germany will provide data and training of relevant skills. By the end of the fellowship the researcher will have new technical skills (e.g. numerical modelling), and enhanced transferable skills (e.g. project management), which will provide the researcher with better chances of future employment in marine geoscientific research, especially within Europe.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
- natural sciences earth and related environmental sciences geology sedimentology
- natural sciences earth and related environmental sciences geology seismology
- social sciences economics and business business and management employment
- natural sciences physical sciences optics laser physics
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Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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H2020-EU.4. - SPREADING EXCELLENCE AND WIDENING PARTICIPATION
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Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
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Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
MSCA-IF - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships (IF)
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Call for proposal
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Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) H2020-WF-2018-2020
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MSD 2080 MSIDA
Malta
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.